Game trap



' c. SMITH July 15, 1941.

GAME TRAP Filed oct. 16, 1959 Patented July l5, i941 Uli" STTS i ortica 1o Claims.

rihis invention pertains to devices for killing animals, specifically moles.

The object of the invention is to set moledestroying means in effective position, to set in the mole-run an obstacle of such nature as to avoid alarming an approaching mole, and to set the mole-destroying means under the control of said obstacle in trigger manner when a mole moving along the mole-run moves the obstacle.

Further objects are to provide a trap having features of a simple assembly of operating members1 and to provide mein-bers cooperating in one manner to iaoilitate setting the trap into adjustment, and cooperating in'another manner when operating the trap in response to gaine.

A further object is to utilize the natural earth surrounding the mole-run to provide an obstacle in the run which may be engaged and moved by the mole to operate a trigger mechanism in the trap.

A further object is to provide means to inject a lethal fluid into the mole or into the molerun.

The invention will be more fully understood by disclosures of the following description, to-

gether with claims and drawing. In the drawing like numerals indicate like parts, and:

Figure l shows an elevation of a trap according to this invention; Figure 2, a detail of Figure i in a transient condition while setting the trap; Figure 3, a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure l; Figure 4, a horizontal sectional view on the line li--i of Figure l; Figure 5, a horizontal sectional View on the line 5 5 of Figure l; Figure 6 shows a partial sectional View of a modification of Fig. 3;f and Figure 7 an enlarged detail of Figure G.

Moles form runways by burrowing near the surface, lifting the earth to form the subterranean runway, and thereby forming a ridge on the surface. comprises depressing the ridge at a trap site My method of destroying molesVV by means of a boot-heel or tamping bar, thereby partially or even wholly renlling the mole-run so that passage of a mole will displace the refilled earth into its ridge formation, then setting a trap trigger member above the displaced earth to be lifted by the earth when the earth is moved by the mole, the trap being provided with lethal equipment located and directed to kill the mole in response to operation of the trigger by the mole. The earth refill thus becomes part of the trap when set for operation. Since the mole may approach the trigger location from either direction, I provide two lethal equipments attacking simultaneously two objective locations, in one of which the mole will be found.

An explosive cartridge nring a bullet into the body of the mole may be utilized; or alternatively a tubular needle may be utilized to penetrate the body of themole, a lethal fluid being forced through the needle, thus destroying the mole with less damage to the moleskin than would be caused by a bullet.

Referring to Figures 1 to 51 inclusive: The main frame lli of the trap' comprises -two side rods li and l2, which may be. formed of a single rod bent as shown or otherwise united at the top ends. rhe frame comprises also a bridge member it, fixed across the side rods in a median location by set screws l5, or otherwise'. In the bridge are two firing chambers l5,

Upon the side rods slides freely a gravity ring member l?, carrying two. iring pins -I8 and having two latching lugs i9. A trigger shoe 20 is attached to the lower end of a trigger rod 2 i`, which passes freely but closely through bridge lll, whichpasses throughring member l1 with full clearance, and which carriesxed toits top end a trigger plate 22. Shoe 20, rod 2ly and plate 22 compose an integral mole detector member. Y

Near the top of the frame Ill are pivoted two trigger latches 23, tensioned by a spring member 2li and restricted in angular motion by slots 25, which engagey stop pins or shoulder screws 25 in frame MJ. Each latch 23 has a surface 3| to cooperate with a surface 32 on trigger plate 22, also a stop point 33to cooperatel with a stop notch St in plate` 2.2, alsol an edge 35 to cooperate with the upper corn-ers of lug it, and finally a shoulder 35 to cooperate with the under surface of lug i9, H

Frame rods il and t2- extend into the earth on both sides of the mole-runwhen the trap is set for operation, and are scarred at S in one piane to facilitate enteringv hard earth with least bending tendency in the median part of the-rods where member ll slides, being guided by the rods.V A loose ringZl surrounds the trigger rod 2i, to space the members I4 and Il to prevent driving the firing pins I8 too far into the cartridges 23. Washers 25 prevent latches 23 from friction against frame lll. v

Referring to Figures and 7: the cartridges 23 are replaced by metal or glass capsulesy 40, flanged as is a cartridge shell, each closed` at top and bottom by iiexible annular plugs 4| and 42. Through plug di and intoplug 42 passes a needle 63, having a striker head 44 and a side opening @5, the needle being tubular at least from the opening d5 to the point of the needle. Each capsule contains air and a lethal fluid 46. Firing pins i8 are replaced by hammer pins 4l. v

In operation of the preferred form shown in Figures 1 to 5, a mole-run 50 is detected by observing the earth ridge 5l anda short portion of the ridge is driven down to earth level 52, thus projecting an earth rei-lll 53 into the mole-run 50.

Rods II and I2 of the cartridge holder are forced into the earth, ring member I'I being in dotted position, until shoe 20, stopped by the earth surface, lifts plate 22 until points 33 and notches 34 are in engagement (see Fig. 2), which gauges the depth of setting the trap stops further progress of rods II and I2 into the earth. Each latch thus becomes a combination gauge and latchwhen the trap is being set. Firing member I4 then is lifted, lugs I9 forceA latches 23 away from plate 22, and latches drop the shoulders 36 under lugs I9, latching the firing member in set position. Cartridges 28 are inserted in ring chambers I6.

When a mole in run 59 lifts the earth 53, the shoe 20, rod 2|, and plate 22 also will be lifted, cam surface 32 will engage cam surface 3l, latches 23 will be swung to clear lugs I9, firing member I1 will fall, ring pins I8 will re cartridges 28, and one or the other of the two bullets will penetrate the body of the mole, respectively as the said body is discovered at right or left of the rell earth 53.

Referring to the modification shown in Figures 6 and '7: when the ring member I'I descends, the hammer 41 drives the needle 43 through the plug 42 and into the body of the mole, then drives the gasket 4I into the body of the capsule, compressing the contained air, and in response to air pressure the lethal fluid 46, ows through opening 45 and through the tubular needle into the body of the mole. Alternatively, the fluid may be forced into the mole-run near the mole and generate an asphyxiating gas which destroys the mole.

The mole trap may be changed in many details without departing from the spirit and scope of my claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a mole trap, a projectile emitter, a cartridge and projectile for said emitter, slidable gravity-operated iiring means for said cartridge, vertical slide rods for said firing means, a pair of latches for restraining said firing means, and trigger means comprising in part a mole detector positioned above the mole track and in part latch operating means for operating both latches of said pair to release said firing means in response to movement of said detector by a mole, said emitter being directed toward said mole track.

2. In a mole trap, a cartridge holder including a U-shaped support having two chisel-end studs to position said cartridge holder over a mole-run, a mole detector shoe near said cartridge holder and positioned over a refilled portion of said molerun, and gravity means sliding on the parallel arms of said U-shaped support to fire said cartridge in response to movement of said detector caused by passage of a mole through said refilled mole-run.

3. In a mole trap settable over a refilled portion of a mole-run, a detector member movable by earth movements incident to clearing said run by a mole, a cartridge holder, a gravity iiring member for said cartridge, vertical rods on which said firing member slides, and two latches restraining said firing member in starting position on said rods and operable simultaneously to release said member .in response to movement of said detector member.

4. In a mole trap, a mole detector member in engagement with the earth above a refilled molerun, a cartridge, a trip device and ring pin for said cartridge, two similar latches for said trip device mutually engaging members on said detector member and said latches engageable to eiect accurate preliminary setting of said detector member above said mole run, and further mutually engaging members on said detector and on said latches for operating said latches simultaneously to trip said trip device.

5. In a mole trap, a main support member a comprising a body member and anchor members partially embedded in the ground above a molerun, a mole detector member operable by movement of earth in said mole-run when at least partly refilled, mole destroying means held by said main support member, a slidable operating member for said mole destroying means, and a pair of similar latches engaging said slidable operating member and simultaneously responsive to movement of said detector member to disengage said operating member for operation.

6. In a mole trap, a main support member comprising a body member and anchor members partially embedded in the ground above a molerun, a mole detector member operable by movement of earth in said mole-run when at least partly relled, a capsule containing mole destroying fluid held by said main support member, a slidable operating member for said capsule for forcing said fluid into said mole-run, and a pair of similar latches engaging said operating member and simultaneously responsive to movement of said detector member to disengage said operating member for operation.

'7. In a mole trap, a main plate, a pair of center re cartridges in said main plate, a ring plate having a face parallel to a face of said main plate, firing pins projecting from said firing plate in positions to engage said cartridges, and a spacer member between said faces of said plates gauging the penetration of said firing pins into said cartridges.

8. In a mole trap, a main plate, a pair of cartridges in said plate and aimed at two points in the mole-run, means to re both cartridges simultaneously, and a single trigger member responsive to movement of earth midway betwee said points to operate said means. l

9. In a mole trap, a mole detector member in engagement with the surface of the earth, a cartridge holding member, a supporting frame therefor partially imbedded in the earth, a combination gauge and latch attached to said frame and engageable with said detector member in obstructing engagement to determine relative positions of said mole detector member and said frame when said trap is in process of being set, and a ring member in said trap engageable with said combination gauge and latch in latching engagement when said trap is fully set and holding said combination gauge and latch from obstructing engagement with said mole detector member.

10. In a mole trap settable over a reiilled portion of a mole run, a detector member movable by earth movements incident to clearing said run by a mole, a cartridge, a cartridge holder, a gravity ring member for said cartridge, vertical rods on which said firing member slides, and a latch restraining said firing member and operable to release said ring member in response to movement of said mole detector member.

y CLYDE SMITH. 

